04/29/2020
Our HONORS IN ACTION Project Update:
During the executive board meeting on April 21st, PTK Chi Mu was given the opportunity to speak with the founder and Chief Dream Officer of Mercy Drops Dream Center, Joe Friszolowski. As a non-profit organization, Mercy Drops has made remarkable contributions to the “forgotten” communities of Portsmouth. Through their curated programs and outreach endeavors, Mercy Drops is breaking the unfortunate cycle of poverty that plagues these under-resourced communities by cultivating relationships of love and providing food, clothing, shelter, job opportunities, and more.
In the heart-to-heart conversation, Joe candidly spoke about his personal adversities that led to his commitment in service and the stark reality of poverty. His stories left an enormous mark on every one of us, which sparked several ideas to research for our HIA project that align with this year’s theme. Here are a few broad examples:
>Cyclical and intergenerational poverty and homelessness
>The mental and physical health risks of foster children/veterans/the homeless sector
>Socioeconomic healthcare disparities (e.g. ambulance response times in relation to geographical layout of high vs. low-income communities, as evidenced in Swanson Homes, Dale Homes, and Little Mexico)
>Anti-homelessness legislation
Because the current circumstances limit our participation to a degree, we hope to figure out a way for our chapter to contribute to this organization and others with further research. Stay tuned for updates as we continue in our HIA journey this summer. Thank you to our lovely Vice President of Fellowship, Joely White, for coordinating this meeting. And many, MANY thanks to Joe!
Visit https://www.mercydrops.life to see the beautiful contributions they are making to our Portsmouth community.
